The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-01-01
ONLY A FEW OF THEM.

Probably the smallest congregation
that assemblies regularly for religious
worship to be found anywhere in this
country, says a Hartford, Conn. CORE
spondent of the New York Sun, is that
which occupies every Sunday little
white church in Danbury. 1t is not
very imposing building, and if stranger
thought anything about it he would be
apt to surmise that it was a country
| school house and wonder why it was
worth while to build a school at all for
SO small number of scholars as could
be sheltered behind its walls 1t is paint
ed white and has vivid green blinds.
Here, however, gather every Sunday
| faithful band of seven. 1t is the church
| OF the Sandemanians, and of this sect
there are less than twenty.f five in this
country, though in Great Britain, there
are nearly two thousand of them. The
Danbury church is the only organization
in this country, and here the queer little
sect has lived since the year 1854. So
that the Sandemanians were in existence
when the Wesleyans were in their infan-
I cy and the Baptists almost unknown.
The Danbury congregation is composed
of some of the descendants of the early
! Sandemanians, for there have for many
| years been no converts. This sect, with
the Friends and "The Church Family"
generally known as Shakers, are the only
ones that remain of numerous sectarian
organizations that have sprang up in Con
necticut from time to time.
The Sandemanians are SO called be-
cause the first to teach the doctrines of
the sect in this country was Robert San
deman, who was a native of Scotland.
Sandeman, however was not the founder.
Rev. John Glass, native Of Dundee;
Scotland, first taught the principles of
the sect, and these who profess them now
in Great Britain are called Classics.
The Sandemauians are very pious, sim
| pie, almost Puritanic in their habits, and
in many respects their beliefs differ not
at all from those of the Calvinists oC
| those set forth in the Athanasian creed.
The distinguishing feature of the Sande-
lnanian creed is its Interpretation of the
meaning Of the word faith. Sandeman
! taught that faith was only an intellectu-
| al belief, and therefore he who bad faith
was one who simply gave assent to the
teachings and divinity of Christ. The
Sandemauians rejected all mystical or
double sense from the Scriptures
1t is very interesting to note at this
day that a very large body of the once
great religious sect OF New England, the
CongregationGlists, seeO. rapidly to be
ranging themselves in the Sandemanian
creed, though the little band for more
than hundred years has been regarded
with the smile Of quiet contempt. 1t is
precisely this idea, though somewhat
differently expressed, for which the pro-
fessors of the Andover Seminary are now
on trial, and they have been accused
also of leaning as we'll to the teachings of
another once despised sect in New En-.
gland, the Universalists.
The Sandemanian form of worship is
peculiar; and from one of their customs
they have been vulgarly called Kissites
Around table the members are seated
each one with Bible open before him
and as they are moved to do SO they read
from the Scriptures and comment there
on. They also pray and sing, and they
partake Of weekly love feast, which is g
real dinner served at the house of some
one Of them. They prohibit games oi
chance, college training aud prayer al
funerals; they abstain from all blood anl
"thlngs strangled, and the kiss of broth
erhood passes between all members
male and female, whence arises the name
Of Kissites.
Sandeman vas buried in Danbury il
l77l, and ON his monument it Is set fortl
that lin the face Of continued opposition
he long and boldly contepded for the
ancient faith, that the bare work Of Jesu.
Christ, without deed or thought ON the
r pant of man, ls sufficient to present the
chief Of sinners spotless before God
These lines also appearou the monument
Dci-n'd Christ to come $50 nigh to u-
. And nuf tI count it shame
To ca.l u- breturru. should wu blush
ArHuErt t18t ueu- hts nsmrs
Nay, i.t ms boast boo bis replU8eG
And GLORY boa bisprass;
When Gv appears, one smile from him
NHUhI fHH o'arrsy our loss